Animated map display method for computer-controlled agricultural product application equipment

ABSTRACT

An animated map display transposes information from any of the basic or application maps of a computer-controlled agronomic system, as well as geological or environmental features, physical structures, sensor signals, status information, and other data, into a two- or three-dimensional representation that is projected using a heads-up display (HUD) overlaid onto the real-world terrain and environment visible to the operator through the windshield of the product application vehicle. The animated map display may present information relating to a particular map set as a three-dimensional image corresponding spatially to real-world terrain or environment, as well as alphanumeric, pictorial, symbolic, color, or textural indicia relating to navigational, sensor, or other data inputs. The operator may use an input interface graphically linked to the animated map display to interactively enter information, relationships, or data into the database or agronomic system.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an animated map display system for aself-propelled vehicle used in conjunction with a computer-controlledagricultural product application system, and particularly to the use ofsuch an animated map display system to present data, application maps,and other information to the vehicle operator during the process ofapplying agricultural products to a given field or terrain in order toassist in navigation, monitor the effectiveness and accuracy of theproduct application system, and interactively input empiricalinformation or subjective perceptions noted during the applicationprocess.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Applying agricultural products such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides,herbicides, and other nutrients or agents to fields usingcomputer-controlled application equipment constituted one of the mostprominent developments in the agronomic industry since it was initiallysuggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,773 to Ortlip, as evidenced bysubsequent refinements such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,220,876 and 5,453,924 to Monson. The descriptions of the systems andmethods for obtaining precise application of agricultural productscontained in those patents is incorporated herein by reference.

Components for computer-controlled agronomic application systems can beroughly divided into two groups based upon whether raw initial dataconcerning factors such as soil type or nutrient levels are measured"on-the-fly" as the vehicle traverses the field dispensing products, oraccumulated and processed into an agronomic plan that is subsequentlyutilized to control the application of products. A completecomputer-controlled agronomic system may include components of either orboth types.

The preferred computer-controlled agronomic system involves a multiplestep process initiated when the farmer or a soil-testing service firstestablishes a grid map for a particular agricultural field, and thenperforms detailed soil testing at designated locations in the fieldcorresponding to uniform grid coordinates. The soil test data mayinclude a variety of information on the type of soil or geologiccharacteristics, pH, nutrient values, moisture content and retentioncharacteristics, aeration, and any other factors that are deemedrelevant to evaluating the characteristics of that field and preparing asuitable agronomic plan for the crop to be grown.

Given the soil test data and basic information on the crop to beplanted, an agronomic plan is developed to optimize the expected yieldfrom that field. The agronomic plan may be developed solely by thefarmer, or the farmer working in combination with the local productrepresentative or agronomist. Alternately, the agronomic plan may bedeveloped based upon initial input from the farmer or productrepresentative, which is then optimized and expanded using extensiveforecasting capabilities and reference to a database contained in aremote agronomic system maintained by an agronomic consulting service.

In its simplest form, the agronomic plan may contain recommendations forseed variety or hybrid, planting density, and the periodic applicationof one or more fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, or other products atvarying rates or densities throughout the field in order to attain themost desirable distribution of nutrients and other materials in thefield to promote maximum crop yield, as well as minimizing any waste orexcess application of those products.

At more complex levels, the agronomic plan may include an evaluation ofhistoric meteorological patterns and regional long-range predictions,prior crop planting and harvesting information, hybrid characteristics,statistical analysis of geologically- and climatologically-similarfields, potential product interactions, and a host of other empiricaland qualitative relationships that have a measurable impact on currentcrop production, future soil maintenance, conservation, andenvironmental conditions.

The result is an agronomic plan that dictates a schedule of products ortreatments to be applied to the field given a particular crop to beplanted. The variable amounts of each product to be applied throughoutthe field are reduced to a number of "application maps" that may be readby a computer-controlled application system on a vehicle toautomatically and independently adjust the application rates for theproducts as the vehicle traverses the field, thus ensuring that thedesired density is achieved for each product applied throughout thefield. Application of those products or treatments may start beforeplanting, and may continue after harvesting in preparation forsubsequent crop cycles. Depending upon the complexity of the system andthe agronomic plan, some of that information may be retained in thefarmer's mind, compiled into a written document or printout, orcontained in a computer program that is periodically consulted, updated,or modified by the farmer, product representative, application service,or agronomic consulting service. Yield data may be mapped onto the samegrid and subsequently used to gauge the effectiveness of the agronomicplan and modify future plans or forecasts. The agronomic plan may bemaintained as a longitudinal evaluation of the agricultural history fora given field, and optimized over time given the accumulation ofempirical data, refinements in statistical analysis, and enhancedpredictive capabilities and agronomic algorithms.

The agronomic plan correlates the soil testing data and desired "target"conditions or field characteristics to a coordinate-type grid map of thefield. The agronomic plan is then preferably reduced to one or moreapplication maps, each map corresponding to a particular product to beapplied to the field, and contains the information necessary totranslate the desired target levels into control signals which adjustthe independent application rates for each product to achieve thedesired product density as the vehicle traverses the field at anon-uniform speed. It may be readily appreciated that for eachadditional product applied by the application system, the overlapping or"stacked" application maps will multiply the complexity of the potentialblend combinations. This complexity grows further as the number ofavailable density levels or gradations increases. In addition, GPS data(or other vectored location information) is converted to coordinateposition, and input signals from various sensors monitoring vehiclespeed and the status of valves, flow meters, and electrical ormechanical system components are constantly referenced against theapplication map to maintain or optimize system performance.

In addition to the sensors monitoring vehicle and equipment status,other sensors may be utilized to measure factors relating to the soil,climatological, environmental, or crop conditions. For example, moisturelevels, nitrogen content, soil density or aeration, the presence ofdiseases or pests, temperature and barometric pressure, then-occurringprecipitation, and many other factors can be measured during the actualproduct application procedure depending upon particular criteria thatmay be deemed pertinent. These measurements can be fed into theagronomic plan and the application rates or conditions for variousproducts can be adjusted or optimized according to predeterminedrelationships or algorithms on a real-time basis. Some factors such assoil density and moisture level may be considered most pertinent duringsome operations such as planting, with the operation of thecomputer-controlled equipment being adjusted correspondingly, whereasother factors such as temperature, precipitation, wind speed anddirection, and the localized distribution of a particular pestpopulation may be more pertinent when applying a liquid herbicide orpesticide. A virtually limitless spectrum of control and automation overthe application process can be provided due to the variety of data thatcan be generated and interrelated, the complexity of the agronomic planand power of its algorithms, and the relative precision of theapplication equipment.

Regardless of the type of application procedure being undertaken, it isa practical necessity that some data or information be presented ordisplayed to the operator of the equipment during the procedure. Therewill usually be a minimal subset of data or information that must bepresented to ensure proper application, and an expanded subset ofoptional information that may be made available to an operator. Theexpanded subset may include information that assists the operator inoptimizing the system's performance, or data which may simply be ofinterest to the operator. The expanded subset may also includeinformation that would augment the operator's knowledge or understandingabout the particular field, or would have a subjective impact on theoperator's perception of the field's condition or characteristics. Thisinformation may also prompt the operator to recognize previouslyunappreciated relationships or correlations regarding the field,particularly those involving historic or longitudinal information, andthe system may allow the operator to interact with the agronomic plan toinput information in response to this recognition in a manner that addsrelevant information, algorithms, relationships, or expert systeminformation to the GIS database or agronomic plan for later analysis anduse.

The basic subset of information presented to the operator will usuallyinclude some type of navigational assistance, critical equipment status,and a display of the grid or application maps. Map displays couldinclude a grid map, a simple soil-type map, an initial nutrient or fieldcharacteristic level map, an application map, or a result-oriented mapthat is updated in real-time to show the projected condition of thefield based upon the application map and the completed portion of theproduct application.

Using the technology disclosed in the Ortlip '773 and Monson '876patents, it has further proven desirable to utilize the concept of "mapstacking" which permits one or more application maps to be overlaid ontoany basic map type, as well as stacking several application maps toproduce a composite presentation.

One example is a two dimensional application map divided into amultiplicity of uniform grid segments, with each grid segment having aunique color shade representing either the initial level of a nutrientor other characteristic, or the relative density of a product to beapplied. Similarly, the same type of shaded map could be used to displaya result-oriented map showing the status of the product applicationprocedure at any given interval.

One application map for a particular product might contain anywhere from2 to 200 or more separate gradations, depending upon the desired levelof precision built into the system and the number of correspondingapplication rates or densities that may be accommodated by theapplication equipment. With several stacked application maps, thepotential permutations theoretically increase geometrically, althoughthe number of combinations actually employed in a given system willusually be somewhat less than the theoretical maximum. By overlayingseparate colors, textures, or symbols for each application map, acomposite map with a correspondingly higher degree of gradation may beachieved.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a representative example of a twodimensional composite application map is shown. Vertical, horizontal,and diagonal lining has been utilized in those Figures to designatethree levels of gradation that appear as discrete zones, which wouldrepresent different levels or values for a particular fieldcharacteristic. In a conventional digital two-dimensional applicationmap, the levels or values would be displayed as varying color shades,with a designated number of pixels corresponding spatially to each gridsegment, and the shade of those pixels representing a level or value forthe field characteristic. When viewed as a whole, various zones andpatterns within the displayed map may be perceived due to the normalconfluence or distribution of shades and the fact that fieldcharacteristics may tend to change only gradually from grid to grid. Theeffect is therefore similar to posterization of a digital bitmap imagein which the posterization depth equates to the number of gradations inthe measured level or value of the particular field characteristic.

Referring to FIG. 3, a representative example of a conventional datadisplay used in a computer-controlled agronomic application system isshown. In this instance, the display is similar to that utilized withthe Vision™ yield management system produced by Rockwell Internationalof Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As may be seen in the Figure, the display ismounted on the dashboard or console of an agricultural vehicle (such asa combine, harvester, or fertilizer applicator), and provides arelatively small screen displaying a map or other data. This displayrequires the operator to redirect their view away from the field terrainas observed through the windshield of the vehicle, whether the displayis placed on the dashboard, mounted overhead, or along one of thevertical cab risers. In the case of the configuration shown in FIG. 3,the operator's attention is drawn downwardly from the terrain so thatonly a portion of the field is optimally visible in the operator'speripheral vision above the vehicle's hood, and the additionalconcentration or focus required to discriminate images on the displayscreen effectively negates any peripheral vision whatsoever.

Besides simply distracting the operator's attention from the fieldterrain and the path of the vehicle, there are several concomitantdisadvantages presented by such a display system.

First, the ability of the operator to perceive and correlate informationfrom the application map or other data displayed on the screen withtheir direct observation of the field conditions is impaired.

Second, translating bitmapped information from a two-dimensional displayto match a real-world terrain that is being visualized from a movingvehicle inherently leads to substantial imprecision, if not errors of agreater magnitude.

Third, when patterns or subjective relationships are recognized, it isdifficult if not impossible for the operator to effectively digest andthen accurately translate or correlate that information to thetwo-dimensional application map or other register, regardless of thecapacity and capabilities of the user interface.

Finally, it may also be appreciated that such a system presents inherentchallenges regarding simple operations, such as vehicle navigation. Forexample, referring again to FIGS. 5 and 6, two recognized options formaneuvering the vehicle through the field and plotting the vehicle'scourse are shown. In the case of FIG. 5, the displayed map remains in aconstant orientation relative to the operator, but a cursor and routemarker reverse direction as the vehicle turns and traverses a parallelpath but in the opposite direction. While this accurately reflects thevehicle's current position and path from a vector reference, theoperator must mentally invert the map image (or view the map from the"top" of the screen) to properly orient the vehicle's position anddirection relative to the map zones and patterns.

Conversely, as may be appreciated from FIG. 6, another option is tomaintain a constant orientation (or even position) for the cursor andpath marker on the screen, and rotate, invert, or translate theunderlying map relative to the cursor depending upon the movement of thevehicle. While this solves the problem of correlating the operator'sview of the field terrain to the upright orientation of the map image,it presents other problems. For example, a 180° turn at the end of anyrow will be presented as a mirror image of that turn once the map isinverted, and if the path marker extends along the entire portion of thefield already traversed (or if the map is updated in real-time toreflect the product already applied) the operator can be easily becomeconfused about the proper path along which to navigate the vehicle atsubsequent turns. While this may be less problematical in a straightback-and-forth plan, any complex path or a field having non-rectangularboundaries or subdivisions can become very confusing. Moreover, thedisplayed portion of the application map may not show the boundaries ofthe field or other geographical references, and the operator may becomeeasily disoriented without external reference to the actual terrain andfield boundaries, geological or natural features, or physicalstructures. Similarly, as the map orientation changes, the operator'sinstinctive perception of factors such as compass heading, winddirection, and the actual location of geographical features or physicalstructures may result in disorientation, or require undue reliance oninstrument navigation rather than intuition. If additional data must bedisplayed to compensate for the lack of intuitive perception, the resultis to further distract the operator's attention from direct observationof the real-world terrain and field characteristics, or decrease theamount of time the operator has to consider and evaluate subjectivefactors. The resulting impact is to again diminish the operator'scapacity to recognize patterns or relationships between data displayedon the application map and observations of real-world fieldcharacteristics.

In addition, the comparable complexity of the system itself and theoperator's reliance on interacting with the system increasesignificantly, making the application procedure more difficult andconcentration intensive rather than easier and more precise.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a goal of the present invention to provide an animatedmap display that includes two- or three-dimensional maps and other dataor information that may be projected directly over the operator's viewof the visible terrain and field conditions, to thereby provide a directintuitive comparison between the map, data, or information beingdisplayed and the observed conditions of the field. In addition, theanimated map display provides greater navigational assistance,flexibility in the appearance of how data is presented, and interactiveinput capabilities for the operator.

In this manner, the actual complexity of the system is increasedsignificantly compared to prior art systems, but the perceivedcomplexity of the system is reduced dramatically. In addition, thesystem enhances safety, precision, and working conditions for theoperator.

Briefly described, the animated map display transposes information fromany of the basic or application maps, as well as geological orenvironmental features, physical structures, sensor signals, statusinformation, and other data into a two- or three-dimensionalrepresentation that is projected using a heads-up display (HUD) overlaidonto the real-world terrain and environment visible to the operatorthrough the windshield (or windows) of the vehicle. The animated mapdisplay may present information relating to a particular map set as athree-dimensional image corresponding spatially to real-world terrain orenvironment, as well as including alphanumeric, pictorial, symbolic,color, or textural indicia relating to navigational, sensor, or otherdata inputs. The operator may use an input interface graphically linkedto the animated map display to interactively enter information,relationships, or data into the database or agronomic system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one embodiment of theanimated map display method of this invention, wherein a fieldcharacteristics are depicted by shaded grid zones;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an alternate embodiment ofthe animated map display method of FIG. 1, wherein a fieldcharacteristics are depicted by patterned grid zones;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of a prior art vehicle cab,display, and operator torso as described herein;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation view of a the vehicle cab,display, and operator torso for use with the animated map display methodof this invention projected using a heads-up display apparatus asdescribed herein;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of a prior art two-dimensionalapplication map and graphic user interface display screen foralphanumeric, pictorial, or symbolic data and information;

FIG. 6 is the diagrammatic plan view of the display screen of FIG. 5with the application map inverted;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view graphically depicting the reflectivity andrefraction of an incident light beam on a pane of glass;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the primary steps involved with generatingand utilizing the animated map display of this invention; and

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic representation of the system components for usewith the animated map display of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The method and apparatus of this invention are illustrated in FIGS. 1-8and referenced generally therein by the numeral 10. In particular, themethod and apparatus are preferably practiced in a manner that may bedescribed with reference to two separate components: (1) an animated mapdisplay method which provides a visual representation of selected dataand information relating to the agronomic application system insubstantially real-time as the application vehicle traverses the field,and (2) a heads-up display apparatus that permits the animated mapdisplay to be projected and overlaid on the real-world image of theterrain and field viewed by the operator from the cab of the vehicle.

Referring particularly to FIG. 4, the agronomic application system isutilized by an operator 12 seated within the enclosed cab of anapplication vehicle 14 having a windshield 16, roof 18, and dashboard20. In addition, the operator 12 is provided with steering controls, athrottle, and an onboard processing platform 22 for operating andcontrolling the agronomic product application system. The processingplatform 22 may include one or more interactive interfaces such as akeyboard, mouse, and other components as described further herein.Depending upon the type of application equipment carried on the vehicle14 and the agronomic system being used, the operator 12 will also beprovided with other systems or components such as a coordinate- orvector-based navigation unit (GPS or LORAN) and a dead-reckoning backupsystem, communications, equipment controls and status displays, and soforth.

Animated Map Display

Referring particularly to FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, a two-dimensional staticapplication map 24 is shown both in an upright and invertedconfiguration displayed on a conventional display screen 26 of the typethat would be mounted on the dashboard 20 or in a similar positionwithin the cab of the vehicle 14. In addition, there are several otheritems of data or information displayed on the screen 26 usingconventional items found in a graphic user interface (GUI), includingalphanumeric data cells distributed in rows and columns for identifyingbin numbers, product application rates, densities, and product volumes28, grid location 30, coordinate or GPS position 32, boom status 34, aswell as other optional or interchangeable dialog or interface buttons 36containing pictorial representations or alphanumeric data.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, two representative examples ofsimple animated map displays 38 are shown in which the conventionaltwo-dimensional application or basic map 24 has been replaced by athree-dimensional animated map 38. In FIG. 1, the animated map 38 iscomposed primarily of uniform grid zones 40 that are shaded according toa predetermined scheme where the particular shading corresponds to alevel or value for some known, measured, or predicted fieldcharacteristic. It may be readily appreciated that the animated map 38may be a basic map (such as a grid map, soil type map, specifiednutrient level, moisture content, or a map of any other basic fieldcharacteristic), an application map (showing the relative densities,amounts, or application rates for one or more products being applied tothe field), or a result-oriented map that is updated in real-time toshow the projected condition of the field based upon the application mapand the completed portion of the product application.

The operator 12 preferably may switch selectively between different maps38 and different map types, and more than one map may optionally bedisplayed or projected for viewing at a given time, with multiple mapsbeing overlaid and potentially interrelated as described further herein.

In addition to the uniform grid zones 40 and shading shown in the map38, the animated map display may also present additional data orinformation 42 to the operator 12 in an alphanumeric, pictorial, orsymbolic format. While the uniform grid zones 40 in FIG. 1 are shown inthree levels or gradations of gray shading due to the limitations ofblack-and-white drawings, it may be appreciated that the uniform gridzones 40 may be shaded using a variety of colors, tints, patterns, andtextures, and may include the same degree of gradation as previouslydescribed with reference to a conventional basic map or application map24.

In addition, the animated map display 38 allows the presentation ofinformation in other and potentially more subtle or even subconsciousformats. For example, the area of the display disposed above the horizonline 44 corresponding to the sky in the operator's 12 direct view of theterrain and field may be shaded or patterned, with the color, tint, orother indicia representing any one of a number of measured or sensedvalues or conditions such as time of day, temperature, humidity, windspeed and direction, or then-occurring precipitation.

The animated map display 38 may also include references to variousterrain-related objects 46 or conditions, such as fixed or movablephysical structures (buildings, electrical towers or telephone poles,fencing, irrigation equipment, other vehicles carrying transponderelements, etc.), natural features (trees, terracing, etc.), geologicalor environmental features (lakes, rivers, creeks, hills, valleys,gullies, etc.), field boundaries, roadways, and any otherterrain-related objects 46 or conditions that would aid in navigation orspatial referencing, present obstacles or hazards to the vehicle oroperator, require real-time adjustment of the product applicationequipment (for example, based upon wind speed and direction whenapplying a liquid product), or which could potentially provoke asubjective recognition or appreciation of an agronomic relationship bythe operator. In addition, other data such as historic yieldinformation, pest population data, groundwater conditions, or otherinformation may be projected with or as part of the animated map display38 to elicit the subjective recognition of a previously unappreciatedagronomic relationship by the operator 12.

Referring particularly to FIG. 2, a similar animated map display 38 isshown in which the uniform grid zones 40 have been shaded using avariety of known USGS cartographic and lithologic patterns. It may beappreciated that in place of or addition to the use of colors, tints, orshades, any distinguishable pattern or texturing may be utilized tovisually convey pertinent information via the animated map display 38 tothe operator 12. In this instance, the patterns such as those shown neednot correspond to any accepted USGS standard for soil type or othercartographic or lithologic information, but instead may refer to any ofthe same types of information or data described above that might bedisplayed.

In instances where colored or shaded animated map displays 38 areutilized, stacking several maps 38 may be accomplished by utilizinghigher orders of color or shading gradations to depict variouscombinations or interactions between the information contained in thevarious maps 38 or map types, including basic, application, andresult-oriented real-time status maps. Alternately, some of the data orinformation may be displayed in pattern or texture format overlaid ontothe color or shaded map, and thereby convey information in a visuallydistinguishable and recognizable manner. For example, a variety ofcartographic or lithologic patterns such as shown in FIG. 2 may be usedto present basic map information on soil type and moisture content, andcolored or shaded grid zones 40 such as shown in FIG. 1 may be used todisplay levels or rates of product being applied.

It may be readily appreciated to those of skill in the art that thequality and complexity of the animated map display 38 may varydrastically depending upon the requirements of the particularapplication and the processing power that can be expended. At its mostbasic level, the animated map display could present a two-dimensionalrepresentation of a single field characteristic spatially plottedagainst the field-of-view of the operator 12 from within the vehicle 14.Alternately, at a much higher level, the animated map display 38 couldpresent a seamless three-dimensional map without borders between uniformgrid zones 40, with virtually infinite levels of shading, texturing, orpatterning, animated and refreshed at a rate exceeding 15-30 frames persecond such that it provides nearly one-to-one correlation with thereal-world terrain and environmental conditions observed by the operator12 within the normal field-of-view and peripheral vision providedthrough the windshield 16 (and side windows) of the vehicle 14.

Referring to FIG. 8, the basic flowchart steps in constructing and usingthe animated map display 38 are shown, although those of ordinary skillwill appreciate that a variety of other processes and protocols may beapplied to develop and implement the animated map display 38 in theforms described herein, or in other suitable forms depending upon theparticular criteria and requirements of the given application.

Conventional processes are used to develop the agronomic plan, and in asituation where a three-dimensional animated map display 38 will beutilized it may also be necessary to initially generate athree-dimensional terrain reference map including field boundaries,elevations, terrain, objects 46, and so forth. There may be a relativelyhigh degree of overlap and coordination between developing components ofthe agronomic plan (such as the grid mapping and soil samplingprocedures) and inputting information necessary to generate the terrainmap. Although a sprite-based terrain map and objects 46 may provesuitable for most applications in which a conventional VR-dedicatedobject-oriented programming language or scripting will be utilized todevelop and implement the three-dimensional animated map display 38, itmay also be desirable to obtain and input digital images of the terrainand objects 46 which may then be electronically mapped onto the spritesor programming objects to produce enhanced visual realism in theanimated map display 38 as it is actually presented to the operator 12.

Based upon this background information and data, the animated mapdisplay 38 is generated as software or firmware and integrated into theagronomic plan or particular application maps to be run on the hardwareor firmware processing platform 22 controlling the product applicationequipment on the vehicle 14.

Once loaded into the onboard processing platform 22 on the vehicle 14,the animated map display 38 is presented for visual observation orviewing by the operator 12. This presentation may be via a conventionalliquid crystal display (LCD) screen, or as described herein thepreferred approach is to project the animated map display 38 such thatit is overlaid in a one-to-one spatial correspondence to the operator's12 real-world view of the actual terrain and field. Additionally, theanimated map display 38 could be presented using a virtual reality (VR)head-mounted display, or any one of a number of other presentationdevices known to the art or hereafter developed.

Based upon the presentation of the animated map display 38, the operator12 navigates the vehicle 14 through the field as various products aredispensed and applied to the field at precisely controlled but varyingrates to achieve the desired target product densities in correspondingregions or zones of the field.

The operator 12 may selectively adjust the content or components of theanimated map display 38 to control the volume and type of informationthat is presented.

The operator 12 may also selectively input data or information basedupon visual observations of the terrain, field characteristics,real-world objects 46, or any subjective recognition or appreciation ofagronomically significant relationships, patterns, or factors based uponvisual perception, historical knowledge, and logical connections orintuited inferences that become apparent or are perceived during theapplication procedure. The operator 12 will enter this information intothe agronomic plan or system data base in a manner dictated by theagronomic application system's program or user interface, using the mostconvenient input device.

One preferred option for the operator 12 to input information or datawhen the animated map display 38 is projected as a two- orthree-dimensional representation overlaid over the real-world view ofthe terrain is the use of a spatial interface device (SID) that permitsthe operator 12 to effectively "draw" information onto the animated mapdisplay 38 in a manner that projects that information along with theanimated map display 38. Examples of existing SIDs include thespatially-orientation mouse, infrared pointer, pressure- orcapacitance-sensitive pads, or eye-sensing technology that translatesmovement of the user's fingers, hand, head, or eyes into coordinatepositions on the display or presentation, and uses various types ofactivation or actuation (finger or eye movement, voice-activation,button clicking, or other methods) to responsively produce inputoperations, selections, controls, or prompts.

Based upon the physical movement or navigation of the vehicle 14 throughthe field, changes in the system status levels, and any periodic inputof information from the operator 12, the animated map display 38 andagronomic application system are continuously updated, and the animatedmap display 38 is redrawn and the presented image is refreshed so thatthe projected image accurately corresponds with the current status levelof the system and the physical orientation of the vehicle 14 and theoperator's 12 view of the real-world terrain and field conditions.

Heads-Up Display Device

The preferred embodiment of the animated map display 38 described abovecontemplates presenting that animated map display 38 in a manner thatmay be readily visualized by the operator 12 during the applicationprocedure. The heads-up display (HUD) 48 apparatus of this inventionprovides a means for accomplishing this presentation by projecting theimage or images of the animated map display 38 overlaid with one-to-onespatial correspondence with the operator's 12 real-world view of theterrain and field through the windshield 16 (and optionally the sidewindows) of the cab of the vehicle 14.

This heads-up display (HUD) 48 may be readily contrasted with theconventional display shown in FIG. 3, as previously described herein.Referring to FIG. 4, the HUD 48 consists of a projector 50 mountedwithin the cab of the vehicle 14 on a bracket 52 in a position such thatthe projector may project an image 54 onto the windshield 16 of thevehicle 14, or alternately onto the side windows of the vehicle 14.

The HUD 48 may utilize a projector 50 of any type conventionallyutilized for the presentation of graphical data, such as an LCD screen56 through which visible light is directed to project a magnified image54 on a physical surface. By projecting the enlarged image 54 onto anarea the windshield 16 corresponding to the operator's 12 field-of-view58 including the practical limits of useful peripheral vision in boththe vertical and horizontal directions, the operator's 12 line-of-sight60 may be maintained at a generally horizontal or level position ratherthan the markedly downward angle shown in FIG. 3 necessitated by priorart display screens.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 4 and 7, it may be understood that in arear-projection system for the HUD 48, the clarity and visibility of theprojected image 54 will depend upon certain physical parameters andlimitations, which will in turn dictate the selection and optimizationof the projection angle, image intensity, and may affect choices ofimage coloration, shading, patterning, content, and other imagecriteria. The shape or curvature of the windshield 16 may similarlyaffect parameters such as the effective field-of-view 58, image 54 size,and so forth, although the preferred application vehicle 14 has awindshield 16 with a substantially flat interior surface. Thus, fourfactors (reflectivity of the surface on which the image is projected,luminosity of the display, distortion caused by the projector 50 orwindshield 16, and location of the projector 50 and image 54) willcontrol the suitability and desirability of the particular HUD 48 foruse with the animated map display 38.

In particular, the expected reflectivity for visible light at anair-glass interface may be calculated with some precision. Referring toFIG. 7, a light beam 62 is shown passing through an air or gasatmosphere and incident at an angle θ relative to normal on a pane ofglass 16 having a predetermine thickness. A portion of the beam 62 willbe reflected by the first or incident surface of the pane 16 at an equalangle relative to normal. In cases where reflectivity is low, thisreflected beam 62 may not be visible except in conditions where thebackground external to the pane 16 is extremely dark, and the incidentbeam 62 has relatively high intensity. Due to the intrinsic differencesin the index of refraction between the air and glass, the angle αrelative to normal of the beam 62 as it passes through the pane 16 willbe slightly different than the angle θ of the incident beam 62 relativeto normal. As the beam 62 subsequently passes from the pane 16 back toan atmosphere having the same initial index of refractive, the angle ofthe beam 62 relative to normal returns to the previous angle θ (i.e.,parallel to the path of the original beam) but is linearly translated adistance proportional to the thickness of the pane 16.

Given specific values for the two indexes of refraction (N_(a) for airand N_(b) for the pane 16), there is a critical angle β corresponding toincident angle θ at which the pane 16 becomes predominantly orcompletely reflective (at least for purposes of projecting a luminousimage 54 that is visible in normal daytime conditions). Thisrelationship is then given as sin (β)³ (N_(a) /N_(b)), or β=sin⁻¹ (N_(a)/N_(b)). For a normal-air atmosphere having an index of refraction N_(a)of 1.000292 and a pane 16 of crown glass having an index of refractionN_(b) of 1.56, the critical angle β is therefore 39.88 degrees (39.87degrees using an index of refraction N_(a) for air of 1.0, or 39.9degrees using three significant digits in either instance).

The effective refractive indexes may also be affected by coating orplacing a thin-film material on one or both surfaces of the windshield16 designed to enhance the visibility of the projected image 54. Thiscoating or thin-film material may be utilized to decrease the amount oftransmitted light entering the cab through the windshield 16 or windowsfrom the exterior, or to increase the effective reflectivity of thewindshield 16. In the latter case, the coating or thin-film material maybe considered the actual surface of the windshield 16 on which the image54 is projected. Similarly, if a separate transparent orhighly-translucent projection screen (not shown) is disposed between theoperator 12 and the windshield 16 for projecting the image 54, then thatscreen may be considered the actual surface through which the operator12 views the real world terrain, field conditions or characteristics,objects, and environment regardless of the presence of a separatewindshield 16.

Once optimal conditions are established based upon the location andorientation of the projector 50 and the properties of the pane 16,coatings, thin-film materials, or screens, refinements to the HUD 48 maybe made by adjusting the intensity and color of the projected image 54,the relative size and location of the image 54 within the field of view58, and other factors depending upon environmental conditions, operator12 ergonomics, and the like.

Although generally cost-prohibitive for use in a computer-controlledagronomic system at the current time, other types of equipment may beutilized to fabricate the heads-up display 48 apparatus as disclosedherein. For example, a thin-film active- or passive-matrix liquidcrystal display screen that conforms substantially in shape and size tothe field of view 54 of the operator 12 at the position of thewindshield 16 may be attached to or disposed immediately in front of thewindshield 16 to present the animated map display 38. Alternately, ahead-mounted VR display apparatus could be utilized, however themajority of current designs for commercially available head-mounted VRdisplays that would be economically feasible for this application arenot deemed suitable for use in a self-propelled vehicle due to potentialrisks associated with disorientation, inner ear structure (IES) inducednausea, damage to or impairment of visual acuity due to long-term orextended use, or the relative opacity of the screen (i.e., lack ofadequate "see-through" capabilities). However, some commercial systemssuch as are currently being utilized for projecting televised imagesonto head-mounted displays similar to conventional eyeglasses may provesuitable for some applications.

Finally, referring to FIG. 9, an overview of the system components forpracticing the invention are shown. The processing platform 22 may becomposed of one or more general purpose, RISC, or special applicationmicroprocessors located on a common board, distributed at various nodesin a network, or linked by appropriate buses or interfaces in anarchitecture that is most suitable to the particular application andoperating system being utilized. For example, the systems andarchitecture described in the Monson '924 patent identified above andsubsequent refinements therein have proven suitable. The processingplatform 22 is operatively connected to at least one memory 64, andseveral discrete memories 64 may be utilized. The memory 64 retains ormaintains the grid, terrain, and application maps, as well as otherrelevant data pertaining to the agronomic plan and for controlling theapplication of products. The memory 64 may also contain a geographicalinformation system (GIS) database, or the GIS database may reside onmedia along with the relevant information regarding the agronomic plan,maps, and other information utilized in operating the system. Anavigational locator system 66 (such as GPS, LORAN, etc.) is alsooperatively connected to the processing platform 22, the navigationallocator system 66 determining a precise location within the vehicle atwhich the vehicle 14 resides at any given time. The navigational locatorsystem 66 may also include supplemental navigation controls fornavigating the vehicle by dead reckoning or other means when the primarynavigational system is unavailable or not in use.

Several optional external interfaces may also be operatively connectedto the processing platform 22. For example, a variety of peripheraldevices 68 for data input and output such as magnetic or optical diskdrives, a printer, or other conventional peripheral input/output devices68, data input devices 70 such as the mouse, keyboard, pressuresensitive tablet, voice-actuation system, or other interactive inputdevices 70 as described above or known to the art, sensors 72 formeasuring a variety of real-time data such vehicle speed, orientation,temperature or precipitation, bin or equipment status, flow rates, soilconditions, pest populations, and so forth, and other system/networkcomponents 74 such as a hard-wired, infrared, or RF communications link,a main or remote central processing unit (CPU), vehicle control systems,and so forth.

The processing platform 22 processes information using its operatingsystem and resident program (or routines called from anothersystem/network processing component 74), in addition to information fromthe agronomic plan and maps contained in memory 64 and locationinformation derived from the navigational locator 66. The processingplatform 22 generates the animated map display image 38 or images 38that are fed to the heads up display device 48 for projection orpresentation in a suitable manner for viewing by the operator 12. Theprocessing platform 22 also generates one or more control signals thatare fed to the variable rate product application equipment 76 to controlthe gates, relays, valves, pumps, dispensers, conveyors, spreaders, andother components utilized to distribute the products on the field atprecisely controlled variable rates.

It may be readily appreciated that the processing platform 22 mayinclude two completely distinct processing units to accomplish the imagegeneration and control signal generation functions. Similarly, theprocessing platform 22 may determine vehicle position based uponinformation derived from the navigational locator 66 and sensors 72, orsensor 72 output relating to vehicle speed and orientation may be fed toa separate processing unit associated with the navigational locator 66and used to generate a coordinate reference that is utilized directly bythe processing platform 22 to generate the appropriate images for theanimated map display 38 and control signals for the variable rateapplication equipment 76.

Although the present invention has thus been described in detail withreference to the preferred embodiments for practicing that invention,other embodiments, modifications, alterations, or substitutions deemedwithin the spirit and scope of the present invention may suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art depending upon the particularapplications involved.

It is therefore intended that the present invention be limited only bythe properly attributable scope of the attached claims below.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for displaying information in acomputer-controlled system for distributing a product onto a field usinga vehicle driven by an operator, the distribution of said product beingcontrolled at least in part by an map corresponding to regions of saidfield to receive varying densities of said product, said map beingmaintained in a processor and containing information relating to anagronomic plan, said field defining a real-world terrain havingfeatures, said operator having a field of view through a viewing surfaceencompassing at least a portion of said real-world terrain which changesover time as said vehicle traverses said field, said method comprisingthe steps of:identifying a location and an orientation of the vehiclewithin the field at a given time; determining from said location andsaid orientation the features of the terrain within the field of view ofthe operator at said given time by reference to the map; generating animage containing the information to be displayed to the operator; andpresenting said image so that it is visible within the field of view ofthe operator such that the operator views the information correspondingto the real-world terrain encompassed by the field of view of theoperator, said image being displayed on the viewing surface using aheads-up type display such that at least a portion of said image isvisually overlaid onto the real world terrain encompassed by the fieldof view of the operator, whereby the operator simultaneously views thereal-world terrain and the information and selectively compares theinformation being projected with the features of the real-world terrainof the field.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the stepof:periodically updating the image as the vehicle traverses the fieldsuch that the information presented in the image corresponds to thereal-world terrain encompassed by the field of view of the operator asthe real-world terrain changes due to movement of the vehicle within thefield.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the stepof:continuously updating the image as the vehicle traverses the fieldsuch that the information presented in the image corresponds to thereal-world terrain encompassed by the field of view of the operator asthe real-world terrain changes due to movement of the vehicle within thefield.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the image is generatedsubstantially in real-time as the vehicle moves to the location in thefield at the given time.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the image isupdated substantially in real-time as the vehicle moves to a subsequentlocation in the field at a subsequent given time.
 6. The method of claim1 wherein the step of identifying the location of the vehicle within thefield includes generating a coordinate reference to the map.
 7. Themethod of claim 6 wherein the step of identifying the orientation of thevehicle within the field includes deriving a compass heading, and thestep of determining the features of the terrain by reference to the mapincludes comparing the coordinate reference and the compass heading ofthe vehicle with the map.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the image isat least a portion of a grid map, and the information includes aplurality of grid zones.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the image isat least a portion of an application map containing a plurality of gridzones, and the information includes field characteristic informationindicating a value for a predetermined field characteristic for saidplurality of grid zones.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein thepredetermined field characteristic is a nutrient level.
 11. The methodof claim 9 wherein the predetermined field characteristic is a soiltype.
 12. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined fieldcharacteristic is a measurement value proportional to a density of theproduct being applied to the field.
 13. The method of claim 9 whereinthe predetermined field characteristic is a measurement valueproportional to a rate of application of the product being applied tothe field.
 14. The method of claim 1 wherein the image is at least aportion of a map of soil types.
 15. The method of claim 1 wherein theimage is at least a portion of a terrain map, and the informationincludes representations corresponding to the features the real-worldterrain.
 16. The method of claim 1 wherein the image is a graphicaldepiction of the map.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the graphicaldepiction of the map corresponds to a three-dimensional image of thefield of view of the operator.
 18. The method of claim 1 wherein theinformation is presented in a graphical format.
 19. The method of claim1 wherein the information is presented in a symbolic format.
 20. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the information is presented in analphanumeric format.
 21. The method of claim 1 wherein the informationis presented in a pictorial format.
 22. The method of claim 1 whereinthe step of presenting the image so that it is visible within the fieldof view of the operator comprises:displaying the image such that theimage is visually overlaid onto substantially all of the real-worldterrain encompassed by the field of view of the operator when navigatingthe vehicle along a path through the field, such that the operator maysimultaneously view the real-world terrain and the image and selectivelycompare the information contained in the image with the features of thereal-world terrain of the field.
 23. The method of claim 22 wherein thevehicle has a cab and a windshield and the step of displaying the imagecomprises the step of:projecting the image onto the windshield of thecab of the vehicle through which the operator views the real-worldterrain, said surface being a substantially planar glass window in cabof the vehicle.
 24. The method of claim 23 wherein the step ofprojecting the image onto a surface is performed using a heads-updisplay device and a projector located within the cab of the vehicle,said heads-up display device projecting said image of said informationonto at least a portion of the windshield through which the operatorviews the portion of the real-world terrain such that said informationis visible within the field of view of the operator overlaid onto thereal-world terrain encompassed by the field of view of the operator. 25.The method of claim 22 wherein the surface through which the operatorviews the real-world terrain is a windshield of the vehicle, and furtherwherein the heads-up display device is a projector mounted within thevehicle and oriented so that it projects the image onto said windshieldsuch that the image is reflected and visible to the operator within thevehicle.
 26. The method of claim 25 wherein the projector includes aliquid crystal display through which visible light is projected.
 27. Themethod of claim 24 wherein the heads-up display device is a projectormounted within the vehicle and oriented so that it projects the imageonto the surface such that the image is reflected and visible to theoperator within the vehicle.
 28. The method of claim 27 wherein theimage is projected on the surface in a manner such that the imagesubstantially encompasses the field of view of the operator through thesurface.
 29. The method of claim 27 wherein the operator is located at aposition within the vehicle, said position being disposed generallybetween the projector and the surface on which the image is projected,the projector being disposed such that the operator does notsubstantially block the image projected onto the surface within thefield of view of the operator.
 30. The method of claim 1 wherein theinformation contained in the image includes navigational information toassist the operator in navigating the vehicle throughout the field, andwherein the method further comprises the step of:maneuvering the vehiclethroughout the field in response to the navigational informationcontained in the image.
 31. The method of claim 1 further comprising thesteps of:providing the operator with an input interface permitting theoperator to selectively enter data relating to the comparison betweenthe information contained in the image and characteristics of thereal-world terrain viewed by the operator.
 32. The method of claim 31wherein the data entered by the operator alters the agronomic plan. 33.The method of claim 31 wherein the data entered by the operator adjuststhe application of the product to the field.
 34. The method of claim 31further comprising the step of:updating the image based in part on thedata entered by the operator using the input interface.
 35. The methodof claim 34 wherein updating the image is performed substantially inreal-time.
 36. The method of claim 31 wherein the agronomic plan isassociated with a database, and wherein the data entered by the operatoris stored in the database.
 37. The method of claim 1 wherein the imageis a result-oriented map showing a projected condition of the fieldbased upon the amount of product that has been applied to the field inthe corresponding ones of the plurality of grid zones.
 38. The method ofclaim 37 wherein the image is updated substantially in real-time. 39.The method of claim 1 wherein the features of the real-world terraininclude physical structures each having a location, and the imageincludes information corresponding to said location of said physicalstructures.
 40. The method of claim 39 wherein the physical structuresare generally stationary.
 41. The method of claim 39 wherein thephysical structures are generally mobile.
 42. The method of claim 1wherein the features of the real-world terrain include field boundarieseach having a location, and the image includes information correspondingto said location of said field boundaries.
 43. The method of claim 1wherein the features of the real-world terrain include environmentalfeatures each having a location, and the image includes informationcorresponding to said location of said environmental features.
 44. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the portion of the information updated inresponse to the data signal generated by the sensor is updatedcontinuously.
 45. A method for displaying information in acomputer-controlled system for distributing a product onto a field usinga vehicle driven by an operator, the distribution of said product beingcontrolled at least in part by an map corresponding to regions of saidfield to receive varying densities of said product, said map beingmaintained in a processor and containing information relating to anagronomic plan, said field defining a real-world terrain havingfeatures, said operator having a field of view encompassing at least aportion of said real-world terrain which changes over time as saidvehicle traverses said field, said method comprising the stepsof:identifying a location and an orientation of the vehicle within thefield at a given time; determining from said location and saidorientation the features of the terrain within the field of view of theoperator at said given time by reference to the map; generating an imagecontaining the information to be displayed to the operator; presentingsaid image so that it is visible within the field of view of theoperator such that the operator views the information corresponding tothe real-world terrain encompassed by the field of view of the operator;and providing the vehicle with a sensor, said sensor measuring apredetermined characteristic in the field as the vehicle traverses thefield, said sensor generating a data signal corresponding to themeasurement of said predetermined characteristic, wherein at least aportion of the information displayed in said image is updatedperiodically in response to said data signal generated by said sensor.